Chain tightener



June 26, 1923 F. V. FISCHER CHAIN TIGHTENER Filed June 16. 1922 WITH/E8858 A MfwLM/ ,4 TTOHIVEYS Patented .llune 2&6, 1923 FRED VALENTINE FISCHER, 0F VJOODBINZE, IOWA.

CHAIN TIGHTENEB;

Application filed June 16, 1922. Serial No. 568,815.

To all "ltilOWt it may ooncewn:

lie it known that T, FRED VALENTlNE l isonnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Woodbine, in the county of Harrison and State of Iowa, have invented a new and improved Chain Tightener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in chain tighteners, an object of the invention being to provide a device of this character which maybe used to tighten all types of chains.

A further object is to provide a device for taking up the slack in chains where it is impossible to further tighten the same manually, and to positively lock th chain in tightened or stretched position.

:1 still further object is to provide a chain tightener which will be simple and practical in construction, strong, durable and efficient in use, easy to operate, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing my improved tightener in applied and locked position; v

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing a tightener in open position before the tightening operation; and

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an improved attaching element, with which the tightener may be used.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I have used the reference numeral 1 to designate the body of my improved chain tightener. This body includes a pair of parallel plates 2 spaced apart and permanently connected together at each end by rivets or other suit able connecting devices 3. A spacing sleeve such as 4 may be used on one of the rivets to maintain the plates in proper spaced rela tionship. The plates at one end are formed with registering perforated lugs 5, in which a chain link 6 is secured.

A cross pin 7 connecting the intermediate portions of the plates serves as a fulcrum for a lever 8, 'fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon the cross pin. The longer end of the lever. terminates in a hooked orangular extremity 9 and the extremity oi the shorter end of the lever is pivotally connected to a curved link 10. The link 10 is provided with a curved, longitudinally extending slot 11 accommodating one of the rivets 3 so that the link and body have a slot and pin connection. This slot and pin connection serves to gnidethe link when it is operated by swinging of the lever, as will be readily understood, and the curvature of theslot 11 is such that pulling of the lever in one direction serves to draw thelink rearwardly between the plates 2 and swinging of the lever in theother directionprojects the link outwardly and substantially in alignment with the plates, as seen in Figure 3. The link 10 terminates in a hooked extremity 12 adapted to engage in any one of the links 13 of a chain.

I have designated at l l an improved attaching member which may either be car'- ried by the link or links 6 of the tightener or may be attached to the chain which is to be tightened. This attaching member coniprises a pair of books 15 pivoted to opposite sides of a similar and oppositely disposed hook 16 which is movable between the hooks 15. The hooks 15 and 16 may have their tree extremities swung apart, as seen in Figure 4, to permit the entrance of a chain link therebetween and when swung together, the bill of the hook 16 is moved into alignment with the shank of the hooks 15 and the bills of the hooks 15 into alignment with the shank of the hook 16 so that an attaching member entirely surrounding the chain link is provided, as seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 2.

It has been heretofore mentioned that this attaching member may either be carried by the chain tightener or by the chain. In the accompanying drawings, T have shown the member as attached to the chain, of which the links 13 are a part.

In order to take up slack on this chain or to tighten the same, the lever 8 is swung to project the link 9 from the body, as seen in Figure 3. The attaching member lei is attached to the link 6 and the hook 12 is hooked into any suitable link 13. Uperation of the lever 8 will tend to retract the link 11.

said link being guided by its slot and pin connection with the body until it is pulled rearwardly between the plates 2, thereby advancing the two engaged portions of the chain towards each other to tighten the same, since it will be apparent from the drawing that the distance between the member 14 and hook 12 is considerably greater when the hook isprojected than when the hook is retracted. When the lever 8 reaches the limit or its swinging movement to retract the link, the hook or extension 9 will overlie the hook 12, further securing the engaged link 13 against accidental movement. A cotter pin 17 passed through registering openings 18 in the plates will block the path of the link 10 preventing projection thereof and absolutely locking the device.

Although I have illustrated. one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be evident that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a chain tightener including an elongated body, a lever tulcrumed in said body, a link pivotally connected to oneend of the lever and guided in its movement by one end of the body, and means whereby swinging of the lever varies the distance between the free end of the link and the other end of the body, said link terminating in a hooked extremity adapted to engage with a chain link, said lever terminating in an angular end adapted to overlie and cooperate with said hook to retain a link in place when the lever is moved to one extreme position.

2. Ina device of the character described, a chain tightener including an elongated body, a lever fulcruined in said body, a link pivotally connected to one endof the lever and guided in its movement by one end of the body, means whereby swinging of the lever varies the distance between the free end of the link and the other end of the body, said link terminating in a hooked extremity adapted to engage with a chain link, said lever terminating in an angular end adapted to overlie and cooperate with said hook to retain a link in place when the lever is moved to one extreme position, and means for locking said lever against movement.

3. In a device of the character described, a body having a transverse pin at one end, a slotted link having a hook at one end and through the slot of which the pin passes, and a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends and having its shorter member pivoted to said link.

4. In a device oi the character described, a body having side members connected together and held in spaced relation by rivets, a slotted link having a hook at one end through the slot or which one of the rivets pass, a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends and having its shorter member pivoted to the link, and means for locking the link in retracted position.

5. In device of the character described, a body having side members connected together and in spaced relation by rivets, said body having its side members provided with registering openings, a curved and slotted link having a hook at one end through which slot, one of the rivets pass, a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends to the body and having its shorter member pivoted to the link, and a pin passing through the registering openings of the body above the link.

FRED VALENTINE FISCHER.

(ill 

